King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is a small, standing-room-only music venue on St. Vincent Street in Glasgow, Scotland, that has punched well above its size since opening in February 1990. Founded by DF Concerts boss Stuart Clumpas inside the former Saints and Sinners pub, the club holds only about 300 people, but its stage has hosted an outsized share of the artists who went on to define British rock.
The venue’s reputation was cemented on May 31, 1993, when Creation Records boss Alan McGee caught a gig by an unsigned Manchester band called Oasis and signed them almost on the spot. That single night turned King Tut’s into a piece of music-industry folklore, and the club has kept building on it ever since, with Radiohead, The Verve, Coldplay, Blur, and Franz Ferdinand all playing there early in their careers.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland
- Type: Independent live music club
- Opened: February 1990
- Capacity: About 300 (standing)
- Famous for: Alan McGee signing Oasis after their May 31, 1993 gig
- Renovated: 2002
The Night That Made Music History
On May 31, 1993, Oasis played a short, loud set at King Tut’s after reportedly talking their way onto the bill. Alan McGee, who happened to be in the crowd, was won over and signed the band to Creation Records soon after, setting up the release of Definitely Maybe the following year. The story turned the modest club into one of the most name-checked venues in British rock history.
That reputation was no fluke. In a single two-week stretch in 1993, King Tut’s also hosted The Verve and Radiohead, showing that its small stage was already a magnet for bands on the verge of breaking through nationally.
A Launchpad That Keeps Working
Long after the Oasis gig, King Tut’s has stayed a proving ground for new acts, with early Glasgow-area shows from Coldplay, Blur, Franz Ferdinand, Biffy Clyro, Travis, the White Stripes, the Strokes, Paramore, and Lewis Capaldi. In 2001, Scottish Licensed Trade News named it Licensed Music Pub of the Year.
The club, owned by concert promoter DF Concerts, also lends its name and identity to the King Tut’s Wah Wah Tent that ran for years at T in the Park and now anchors a stage at the TRNSMT festival, extending the brand from a single Glasgow room to one of Scotland’s biggest music events.
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King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut FAQs
Where is King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut located?
It’s on St. Vincent Street in Glasgow, Scotland, in a space that was formerly the Saints and Sinners pub.
Why is King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut famous?
It’s best known as the venue where Creation Records boss Alan McGee saw Oasis play on May 31, 1993, and signed them shortly afterward.
How big is King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut?
It’s a small, standing-room venue with a capacity of about 300 people, which is part of why its Oasis connection is so well known.
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Photo: User:Stuart1000 / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.